The Role of the Social and Cultural Capacities of Coastal Communities in the Sustainable Geoeconomic Development of Bushehr Province: Emphasizing Local Participation and Good Governance
Keywords:
maritime, oriented geoeconomics, social and cultural capacities, local participation, good governance, sustainable development, Bushehr ProvinceAbstract
The sustainable geoeconomic development of coastal regions does not depend solely on the availability of resources and geographical location; rather, it also depends on the social and cultural capacities of local communities, stakeholder participation, and the quality of governance. The present study aimed to explain the role of the social and cultural capacities of coastal communities in the sustainable geoeconomic development of Bushehr Province, with an emphasis on local participation and good governance. The theoretical framework of the study was developed based on ecological economics theory and the triple-bottom-line approach to sustainability. Accordingly, social and cultural capacities were considered contextual factors, while local participation and good governance were regarded as mechanisms linking social capacities to developmental outcomes. In terms of purpose, the study was applied, and in terms of method, it employed a descriptive-analytical design. The indicators were initially extracted from the theoretical foundations, previous studies, and relevant documents and were subsequently refined and localized using the Delphi method and the opinions of 20 experts. A researcher-developed questionnaire was then purposively distributed among 200 managers and experts from organizations and institutions involved in maritime-oriented, economic, environmental, and planning activities in Bushehr Province. The data were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) and SmartPLS software. The results indicated that social and cultural capacities had positive and significant effects on sustainable geoeconomic development (β = 0.961), local participation (β = 0.966), and good governance (β = 0.975). Furthermore, local participation (β = 0.385) and good governance (β = 0.331) had direct and significant effects on sustainable geoeconomic development. The indirect effect of social and cultural capacities through local participation was 0.372, while the indirect effect through good governance was 0.323. The findings emphasize the central role of social and cultural capacities and the importance of participatory mechanisms and good governance in achieving sustainable geoeconomic development in Bushehr Province.
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